"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Undercover government investigators were able to obtain thousands of dollars in taxpayer subsidies under ObamaCare using fake identities, according to findings presented to Congress on Wednesday.
The probe by the Government Accountability Office has raised fresh concerns about the ability of the sprawling health care program to prevent or intercept costly fraud schemes. In the case of the GAO investigation, 11 out of 12 applications submitted using “fictitious identities” were accepted, resulting in subsidized health coverage.
“For each of our 11 approved applications, we paid the required premiums to put policies into force, and are continuing to pay the premiums. For the 11 applications that were approved for coverage, we obtained the advance premium tax credit in all cases,” the report said.
According to the GAO, the total amount for these credits was $2,500 monthly, adding up to $30,000 a year.

Comments

Here is the thing about it, if you get caught giving false information to obtain insurance you lose all coverage. Now I am sure the grifters and fraud artists will be trying to take advantage of Obamacare if they can, but other than getting subsided insurance when you might not qualify for subsidies, what is the end game? How do they get cash out of it? Because that is what they want so they can then disappear.

Other public assistance programs are abused such as food stamps being turned (now EBT cards) into cash by redeeming items and selling them at some fraction of their value.

I would like to know how they turn this into cash.

Quartermaster

I imagine they will find a way eventually.

http://evilbloggerlady.blogspot.com/ Evi L. Bloggerlady

I am curious. It is amazing the creativity of these thieves–fraud is one of those crimes that if you applied the same effort to legitimate work you would likely be just as if not more so successful.

RS

For the endgame, see all those illegals flooding the southern border.

JeffS

“Fake It and Take It” — sounds like a feminist talking there. Not coincidentally.

I guess it’s true: Obamacare has promoted job growth. It’s just that the new jobs are for criminals.

Hillary back in the Hillarycare days opposed Health Savings Accounts on the grounds that the government would make wiser spending decisions than the people who had actually earned the money.

I’m glad to see that the FedGov is preventing us against from being defrauded by cutting out the middleman and enabling fraud against itself. How noble.

http://evilbloggerlady.blogspot.com/ Evi L. Bloggerlady

I get that part.

But going to an individual milking ObamaCare for cash with fraud/false application: how do they do it?

kbiel

I imagine one way involves compliant doctors handing out prescriptions for desirable, covered drugs like oxycontin and methadone.

http://evilbloggerlady.blogspot.com/ Evi L. Bloggerlady

They are pretty strict on that already, to the point legitimate docs can’t readily prescribe those particular drugs without following very strict protocols.

http://evilbloggerlady.blogspot.com/ Evi L. Bloggerlady

That is a different issue. That might be true with Central Americans, although Mexicans illegals either hit up ERs and skip the bill part or (believe it or not) go back to Mexico for medical care.

DavidD

That’s not a bug–that’s a feature. Cloward-Piven, anyone?

Quartermaster

I don’t have any idea how they will do it. But, I don’t have a criminal mind, and being a Christian do not have any inclination in that direction, so I have to plead serious limitations in that direction. Knowing human nature as I do, however, I can confidently predict that some one will figure a way to do it.

Quartermaster

My doc won’t prescribe them at all. In my area, those that do are surgeons. The risk of the DEA coming knocking has become very high even if it’s legit. The trouble simply isn’t worth it.

FedGov itself, is simply a criminal conspiracy and has inserted itself in almost everything we do.

http://evilbloggerlady.blogspot.com/ Evi L. Bloggerlady

I want to know (this is not some rhetorical question). I assume they will do it also. When someone hears how, let us know.

Dianna Deeley

The thing is, I am not entirely sure that the intent is to exclude fraud.

Matt_SE

I don’t know if it’s designed to collapse the system, per se. Maybe. But I do know that it’s at least designed to corrupt the citizens: not just turning them into welfare-hooked “takers,” but also systemic cheats, frauds and criminals.
Criminals hate virtue; it reminds them what scumbags the criminals are.

kbiel

Yes, just like legal immigrants are given the run-around and honest people have to jump through hoops to get welfare. Illegal immigrants get endless notices to appear and dishonest people get two or three or more EBT cards.

richard mcenroe

This is not a crime for illegals, lowlifes, grifters, con artists and other quick-buck hustlers.

This is a grift for our good Democratic neighbors, our moral superiors who love and work with us every day and will be flamingly idignant if you call them on it. This is a brand-new white-collar crime and Democrats are leaping at it.